A New Star Is Born
Savory jars to share, including charcoal-roasted beets, smoked trout rillettes, Wagyu steak tartare and duck leg rillettes.
Chef Philip Tessier has long been a quiet force behind Napa Valley’s culinary evolution, mentoring a generation of chefs while steadily raising the bar at PRESS Restaurant, the one-Michelin- starred St. Helena institution he has helped guide for more than two decades. Fresh off completing a state-of-the-art kitchen renovation at PRESS, Tessier has launched a new passion project: Under-Study, a contemporary culinary marketplace and café in St. Helena.
Located next door to PRESS and tucked behind the new Napa Valley Museum of Art & Culture (The MAC), the concept expands Tessier’s influence beyond fine dining and into education, accessibility and everyday craft.
Led by PRESS owner Samantha Rudd alongside Tessier and managing partner Justin Williams, Under-Study was designed as an all-in-one epicurean destination where guests can dine, shop and learn under one roof. At its heart is a modern café serving breakfast, lunch and happy hour, paired with a curated retail selection celebrating top purveyors, time-honored techniques and the stories behind great ingredients.
Breakfast highlights include the return of PRESS’ cult-favorite Bacon Sampler featuring Benton’s, Nueske’s, Hill’s and candied bacon, alongside French Toast Sticks with bacon-maple glaze, overnight oats with Tenbrink Farms fruit and indulgent weekend specials like buttered lobster omelets and biscuits with sausage gravy. Savory café offerings range from the BottleRock-famous lobster corn dog crowned with Tsar Nicoulai white caviar to fried chicken sandwiches and bright hamachi crudo.
At left: Sweet and Sour Pigs Ears and Lobster Corn Dog with Tsar Nicoulai Caviar. Below: Chef Partner Philip Tessier and Chef de Cuisine Lyn Wells
More than a place to eat, Under-Study doubles as a teaching kitchen and contemporary pastry shop. Recent hands-on classes—from Valentine’s cake decorating to Lunar New Year dumpling workshops—hint at a robust calendar to come. With Under-Study, Tessier once again proves that his greatest legacy isn’t just the plates he sends out, but the knowledge and inspiration he continues to pass on.
UNDER-STUDY
595 St. Helena Hwy, St. Helena
